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D National Canners Association 

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Seventh Annual Convention 

Baltimore, Maryland 
1914 




Report of the Committee on Sanitation 



National Canners Association 

Seventh Annual Convention 

Baltimore, Maryland 
1914 



Report of the Committee on Sanitation 




PRINTED BY 

THE LORD BALTIMORE PRE88 

BALTIMORE, MD. 



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THE following report of the Committee on Sanitation 
was adopted by the convention in the shape of a 
recommendation, and the Secretary was instructed to 
have the same printed and distributed among tfu 
members of the National Canners Association. 



Report of Committee on Sanitation 



Your Committee on Sanitation beg to report : That they have 
carefully considered the question of factory sanitation; that the 
subject has been freely discussed at various meetings of the 
Executive Committee; that many excellent suggestions were re- 
ceived by it from practical canners identified with this Association, 
and that as a result of such efforts we submit the general and 
specific recommendations hereinafter following. 

IT IS KECOMMENDED that in order to secure better and 
more uniform sanitary legislation, the conditions under which 
foods are produced be made the object of special state sanitary 
inspection and regulation and to further that end the several 
states be asked to give force to the specific recommendations here- 
inafter made, either directly by enacting such recommendations 
into law or delegating to certain officers or commissions authority 
to adopt them with like effect so that violations of the provisions 
adopted in either case be punished by a fine for the first offense 
and that continued offenses be punished by imprisonment. 

Location and Grounds. 

Factories preparing food products shall be located so as to be 
able to receive and distribute their products promptly without danger 
of damage or deterioration and shall not be located in the imme- 
diate vicinity of any other industry which may be objectionable 
because of noxious odors given off or because of the use of 
decomposed products. 

No food factory shall be located in an insanitary place or one 
which cannot be made sanitary or maintained in a sanitary 
condition. 

No food factory shall be located where the refuse from the plant 
cannot be disposed of in a sanitary manner, and not of itself 
become a nuisance to the factory. 



No litter, waste, refuse, or decomposed products shall be allowed 
to accumulate in or around the buildings or yards. All liquid 
waste shall be conducted from the building by means of suitable 
drains. Gross by-products suitable for other usage, as pea vines 
or corn husks, may be stacked or placed in silos separate from the 
building and must be surrounded by a tight drain to intercept any 
oozing liquid. Other by-products may be retained only if rendered 
unobjectionable. Raw tomato skins, cores, etc., shall not be per- 
mitted to be piled near the factory, nor to be distributed on the 
land within 500 yards of the factory. 

Buildings. 

All buildings used for the manufacture of food products shall 
be clean, properly lighted and ventilated. The ceilings shall be of 
sufficient height to permit ample clearance for all work under any 
suspended shafting, hangers, piping, galleries, etc. Where natural 
light and ventilation are insufficient provision must be made for 
augmenting the same by mechanical methods. The interiors of all 
working rooms shall be kept a light color by paint, whitewash or. 
other suitable method. 

The floors should preferably be tight and pitched to accommo- 
date the machinery — that is, to confine overflow and waste to the 
smallest area. Gutters should be provided to carry all waste to 
the sewers. Grating should be provided around cookers, washers, 
and at other places where overflow is unavoidable. In case a 
slatted floor is used over a cement or other tight sub-floor, a space 
of not less than four feet shall intervene in order to permit proper 
washing with hose. Slat or open floors shall not be permitted in 
factories over water, unless the movement of the stream or tide- 
water is sufficient to carry off all waste and not permit the same to 
become putrid or unless the slat or upper floor is removable for 
cleaning. 

That the approval of proper officials charged with the enforce- 
ment of sanitary laws be secured before the opening for operation 
of any new food producing establishment, or when any building 
not now so used has been converted into such establishment. 



Machinery and Equipment. 

Machinery and other equipment shall be of a sanitary type and 
of such material as to admit of cleaning. The tables should be 
plain and without sharp angles. All tanks of water in which a 
product is held, as tomatoes before scalding, and peaches and pears 
before filling into cans, shall be provided with a continuous fresh 
supply and an overflow. 

Tomatoes or other products shall not be permitted to go to a 
scalder without first being washed, and no scalder or blancher shall 
be used continuously that is not equipped to maintain a continuous 
supply of clean water in the bath. No cans shall be brined or 
syruped by passing through a tank to receive the brine, syrup or 
water by submergence — " dip tank." No syrup or brine, the over- 
flow, from a syruping machine shall be used without filtering and 
heating to the boiling point. 

All machines and conveyors shall be provided with automatic or 
self cleaners as far as practical. All tables, pails, pans, trays, 
machines, ,etc, shall be cleaned with steam and water at the close 
of each day and as much oftener as is necessary to prevent 
souring or unsanitary conditions. There shall be ample water 
and steam supply to keep the factory clean. 



Water Supply. 

There shall be an abundant supply of water of pressure sufficient 
for all cleaning purposes. 

Only potable water shall be used in making syrups or brine, or 
in washing equipment coming in contact with food. 

Steam. 
The steam capacity should be ample for all cleaning purposes. 

Water and steam pipes with hose attachments shall be placed 
conveniently about the buildings so that floors, tables, machinery 
and equipment can be easily reached for cleaning. 



Pbotection and Safety. 

All power driven machinery, including all kinds of machinery 
necessary in the canning business, and all projecting and moving 
parts thereof, together with all the gears, belting, shafts, electric 
wire, transmissions, dynamos and all appliances, shall be so located 
as to be least dangerous to employees and shall be properly 
enclosed and protected. All dangerous parts in or about food and 
canning factories near which any employee is obliged to pass or be 
employed shall be properly guarded and no machines known to be 
dangerous or defective shall be used and no repairs shall be made 
on or to any machinery or the mechanism in connection therewith 
when the machinery is in motion. Effective means shall be 
provided for immediately disconnecting all power so that in case 
of need or accident any particular machine or line of machinery 
can be promptly and effectively shut down. 

All factories shall be provided with sufficient and convenient 
exits or fire escapes. 



Toilet Booms. 

Toilet rooms must be maintained and where different sexes are 
employed they must be separate for each sex, plainly and distinctly 
marked, and to be used only by the sex designated. 

Toilet rooms, including the walls, floors, ceilings and all fixtures 
must be kept clean and provided with sanitary paper. 

Toilet rooms must open to outside light and air and be of suffi- 
cient size and equipment for the number of people employed. 

Where toilet rooms are in the factory, they must be supplied 
with proper flushing appliance and connected with a sewer. 

Outside closets must be sufficiently removed from the factory to 
avoid being a nuisance and built tight above the ground. The 
doors constructed to remain closed and the building properly 
ventilated, lighted and screened. The vault to be kept thoroughly 
disinfected and cleaned when filled to a level with the ground. 



COMFOKTS. 

Sanitary drinking fountains shall be conveniently placed for 
employees and common drinking cups prohibited. 

Stools or chairs shall be provided for employees at all work 
which permits of sitting. 

Where a change of clothes for work is necessary, dressing rooms 
must be provided and hangers and lockers provided for street 
clothes. 

A rest room furnished with chairs and couch must be provided 
in all factories where females are employed. 

Cuspidors containing disinfectants must be placed conveniently. 

Where living quarters are provided for employees they must be 
suitable for the purpose, frequently disinfected, properly ventilated 
and have sufficient light and air to be healthful and comfortable 
and be kept clean by the occupants. 

No person afflicted with infectious or contagious disease or 
infected wounds shall be employed in a factory preparing or 
canning food. 

Wash rooms must be provided conveniently located and of suffi- 
cient size and equipment for the accommodation of all employees 
and separated for sexes, equipped with running water and provided 
with individual or sanitary towels and plenty of soap. 

EULES FOE OkDEB, CLEANLINESS AND DECENCY. 

Employees are prohibited from using tobacco and from spitting 
on the floors. 

No foul, obscene or abusive language will be permitted. 

Employees must be properly clothed for the work to be done and 
must conduct themselves properly at all times. 

Employees shall bathe regularly and keep the finger nails clean 
and short, and wash their hands before commencing a piece of 
work that requires the handling of food. 



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